Riele



G.V L. HENDERSON.

RIFLE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I6. 19`I8.

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

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RIFLE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. Is. I9Ia.

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G. L. HENDERSON.

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l APPFICATIN FILED NOV. I6, |918. vv 1,322,438. Patented Nov, 18, 1919.

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` RIFLE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I6 ISIS.

1,322A38. l Patented Nov.1s,1919.

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WITNESSES [NVE/V701? l i ATTORNEYS closed position;

{GEORGE LIVINGSTON HENDERSON, OF'YELLOWSTON E PARK. W YOMING.

RIFLE.

Lasaass.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NV. 18,l 1919.

Application led November 16, 1918. Serial No. 262,825.

To all 'whom t may concern.' A

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. HENDER- SON7 a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Yellowstone Park, in the county of YellowstoneNational Park and State of i/Vyoming, have invented a new and ImprovedRiiie, of which the following is a full, clear7 and exact description.

The invention relates to magazine hand rearms and its object is toprovide a new and improved rifle having 'an exceedingly simple operatingdevice not liable to get easily out of order. Another object is toproviding` a riie for use by cavalrymen, mounted police and otherpersons, and arranged to permit of readily placing the rifle in a saddlescabbard. Another object is to prevent accidental firing of the gun onfailing to ret-urn the operating lever to full closed position.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described andthen specifically pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theacccompanying drawings .forming a part of this specicatiom in whichsimilar characters of refe-rence indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rifle with the breech block inclosed position;

Fig. 2 is a similar View of the same with parts in section and with thebreech block retracted;

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the same on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the rifle with parts in section and with thebreech block in closed position;

Fig, 5 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the same with the breech block in retractedposition;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the rifle with parts in section and the breechblock i Fig. 3 is a similar view of the same with the breech block inretracted position;

Fig. 9 is a cross section of the saine on the line 9-9 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is a sectional plan View of the same on the line 1010 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a sectional side-elevation on the line 11*11 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 12 is a cross section of the same on the line 12-12 of Fig. 1;

Fig, 13 is a perspective view of the breech block and its carrier;

Fig. 14 is a similar View of the sides of the breech block carrier withthe bearings for the breech block removed;

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the breech block; and

Fig. 16 is asimilar view of the ring pin.

The frame 20 of the firearm is` provided at the rear end with a stock 21and on the forward end with a barrel 22 adapted to receive cartridges 23held in a magazine 24 attached to the frame 20,-the cartridges beingpreferably arranged in staggered relation; as plainly shown in Fig. 12.The two lowermost cartridges 23 in the magazine 24 rest on a follower 25pressed upwardly by a spring 26 seated on the bottom 27 of the magazine24.

The frame 20y is provided at the sides with longitudinally extendingguideways 30, 31, in which are mounted to slidev the sides 32 and 33 ofa breech block carrier 34 in which is mounted to turn a breech block 35containing a firing pin 36 pressed on by a spring 37 and serving to firethe cartridge in the barrel 22; as hereinafter more fully explained. Theforward end of the breech block 35 is provided with cam lugs 40, 41adapted to engage recesses 42, 43 formed in the forward end of the frame20 adjacent the rear end of the barrel 22. The recesses 42 and 43 havebeveled forward walls (see Fig. 6) to draw the forward end of the'breech block 35 against the seat 44 formed on the frame 20 to hold thebreech block firmly seated and locked when in forward position. Thebreech block 35 is provided near its rear end with a lug 45 adaptedto'engage a locking recess 46 formed in the rear portion of the frame 20to assist the lugs 40 and 41 to hold the breech block in locked position,in the carrier 34 In order to impart a forward and backward slidingmovement to the breech block carrier 34 use is made of an operatinglever 50 pivotally connected at its upper end with ad4 pivot 51 arrangedin 'the side 33 0f the breech block carrier 34. The operating lever isprovided at its lower end with a handle 52, and intermediate the handle52 and the pivot 5l is arranged an arcuate slot into which projects thewrist pin 54 of a crank arm 55 having a transverse shaft or pivot 56mounted to turn in the frame 20. The back oi: the leve-r 50 abutsagainst a Afriction roller 57 ournaled on the frame 26 to ease themovelnent of the lever 50. It will be noticed that by the arrangementdescribed the operator having hold of the handle can actua'te the lever50 with a view to slide the breech block carrier 34 forward or backwardon the frame 26.

The breech blockV 35 is given a quarter turn in the breech bloclrcarrier34 and for this purpose a mechanism is provided controlled by the lever50 and arranged as fellows: On the pivot or shaft 56 is secured asegmental gear wheel 60 in mesh with teeth 61 formed on one side of arack 62 mounted to slide up and down in a guideway 63 Fig. 3) formed inthe rear portion of the trame 20. The upperend ot' the slide 62 isprovided on its tace with gear teeth 64 in mesh with gear teeth 65formed on one side of the breech block 35 adjacent the rear lug 45, asplainly indicated in Figs. 4 and It will be seen that when the breechblock carrier 34 and with it the breech block 35 is moved forwardly bythe operator swinging` the handle 52 of the actuating lever 50rearwardly and upwardly then the teeth 65 of the breech block move intoengagement with the teeth-64 on=thc racl; 62. During this t'orwardmovement of the breech block carrier 34 and the breech blocl; 35 theslot 53 ot the lever 50 travels along the wrist pin and when the breechblock Carrier reaches itsl forward position then the wrist pin IE is atthe end ot the slot 53 and the operator now swings the handle fartherupward with the pivot 5l as the fulcrum instead of the wrist Vpin 54.During this final upward movement et the actuating lever 50 an upwardswinging movement is ygiven tothe crank arm whereby the pivot 56 and thesegmental gear wheel 60 are turned and the turning movement ot the gearwheel 66 causes the raci 62 to slide upward whereby the teeth 64 of therack 62 in mesh with the :teeth on the breech block turn the latter toengage the lugs 40 and 41 with the recesses 42, 43 and to 4 engage thelugwith the recess 46 thus locking the breech block carrier in itsforward position and with it the breech block 35. It is understood thatduring this turnn ing movement of the breech block 35 the latter isdrawn forwardly in firm engagement with its seat 44 by the action of thecam lugs 46, il and 4F on the beveled walls oi' the recesses 42, 43 and46. It is also understood that during this forward movement of thebreech block carrier 34 and the breech block 35 the latter pushes theupper most cartridge 23 into the barrel while the. next followingcartridge is pressed in contact with the under side of the breech blockby the action oi.: the spring-pressed :follower 25. When it is desiredto open the rifle for reloading or other purposes the handle 52 of theactuating lever 50 is swung downward on the pivot 5l as the iulcrumwhereby a downward swinging movement is given to the crank arm 55. Whenthis takes place a downward swinging movement is given to the segmentalgear wheel 60 which on account of being in mesh with the teeth 6l of therack 62 moves the latter downward whereby the teeth 64 of this rack 62in engagement with the teeth 65 turn the breech block back to itsoriginal position, that is, with the lugs 40, 4l and 45 out otengagement with the recesses 42, 43 and 46. Dui ing the further downwardand forward swinging movement given to the handle 52 the lever 50 isturned on the wrist pin 54 as the tulcrum whereby the breech blockcarrier 34 andwvith it the breech block are moved rearwardly into openposition. It is understood that when the breech block is turned to theposition tor retraction its lugs 40, 4l and 45 extend sidewise and henceare in alinement with the guidcways 36, 3l. The rack 62 is provided inits lower back portion with a guideway 67 into which projects a guidelug 63 attached to or torming part oit' the frame 20 to guide the rack62 in its up and down movement and to limit Jihe downward movement ofthe said rack 62.

The iiring pin 36 provided on the righthand side with a sidewiseextending lug 76 extending through an opening 71 formed in the breechblock 35 and the said lug` 76 is adapted to pass into a guideway 72formed on the inner face of the side 33 oi' the breech block carrier 34(sce Figs. 3 and 3). By the arrangement d ribed, the firing pin 36 isheld against turning with the breech block 35 and is free to slidelongitudinally independent of the breech block 35. The lug` 70 of thefiring pin 36 is provided with a depending lug 73 adapted to be engagedby a shoulder of a scar 8l mounted to slide up and down in a bearing 32formed in the frame 20. rThe under side or' the scar 3l is pressed on bya spring` 83 to move the sear 8l in an upward direction. The scar Sl isprovided at its rear side with a notch 34 into which projects an arm 85of a trigger 86 fulcrumed at 87 on the irame 20, the lower end ot thetrigger extending in the ing the trigger 86 reaivuardlyv the scar 8l iscaused to slide dov-mward to disengage the shoulder S6 trom the lug 73to allow the firing pin 36 to move forward by the action lll rear of theactuating lever 50. On press of its spring 37 to lire the cartridge 23held in the barrel 22 at the time. The forward wall of the opening 71 inthe breech block forms a shoulder 88 extending' into the path of the lug73 at the time the breech block is in its normal position, that is, withits locking lugs 40, 41 and 45 extending sidewise, and hence when thebreech block is moved into closed position prior to turning it then theshoulder 88 is in the path of the lug 73 (see Fig. 11), and should thetrigger S6 now be accidentally actuated and with it the sear 81 torelease the lug 73 and the firing pin 36 then the latter can only moveforward a short distance, that is, until the lug 73 abuts against theshoulder 88. Thus the firing pin is not liable to fire a cartridgeunless the breech block is turned previously into locking posit-ion asabove explained. It is understood that when the breech block is turnedinto this locking position the shoulder 88 moves out of the path of thelug 3 to allow the firing pin 36 to move forward to its full stroke tolire the cartridge in the barrel 22. Y

Y In order to lock the trigger 86 against movement the followingarrangement is made: The trigger 86 is provided at one side with arecess 90 (see Fig. 9) and in this recess is adapted to pass a bolt 91mounted to slide in a guideway 92 formed in the stock 21. The bolt 91 ispivotally connected by a link 93 with a lug 94 depending from a safetyslide 95 mounted to slide in a suitable bearing 96 attached to the topof the stock 21. The forward end of the slide 95 is adapted to beengaged by a head 97 formed onithe rear end of the breech block 35 tomove the slide 95 rearwardly on moving the breech block carrier 34 andwith it the breech block 35 into rearward open position. The safetyslide 95 is provided on its under side with a recess 100 adapted'tobeengaged by a lug 101 of a spring 102 fastened at its rear end to thestock 21. The forward end of the 'spring catch 102 is provided with acam 103 adapted to be engaged by the head 97 to swing the spring catch102 downward with a view to disengage its lug 101 from the recess 100 atthe time the head 97 of the breech block 35 is moved into real wardposition. B v the arrangement described the slide 95 unlocked prior tothe head 97 pushing it rearward as above explained. The slide 95 isprovided with a lingerpiece 110 resting on the top of the spring catch102 and normally` projecting slightly vabove the slide 95 so that theoperator on pressing the iingerpiece 110 downward causes the springcatch 102 to swing downward. When this takes'place the lug10'1disengages the recess 100 to allow of pushing the slide 95 rearwardly bythe operator. The iingerpiece 110 is provided in its back with a recess111 into which projects a pin 112 held on the slide 95 to limit the upand down movement of the fingerpiece 110. It is understood that when theslide 95 is moved rearwardly either by the breech block or'by hand thenthe bolt 91 is withdrawn from the recess 90 of the trigger 86 to allowthe operator to pull the trigger for tiring as aibove described. Theforward end of the breech block carrier 34 is provided with a suitableextractor 120 (see Fig. 7) adapted to engage the annular notch 121 ofthe cartridge 23 to pull the shell out of the barrel on retracting thesaid breech block carrier 34. The breech block 35 is provided with asuitable ejector 125 (see F ig. 5), preferably in the form cfaspring-pressed pin, adapted to engage the back of the cartridge to throwthe same sidewise out of the frame 20 on Vretracting the breech blockcarrier 34 and the breech block 35.

The operation is as follows: Vhen the several parts are in the positionshown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 7 and a cartridge is in the barrel 22 andthe trigger 86 is locked by the safety slide then the rifle cannot betired, and in order to fire it is necessary for the operator first topress Vthe fingerpiece 110 to disengage the spring catch 102 from thesafety slide 95 to allow the operator to push the latter rearwardly onthe guideway 96. By this movement of the safety slide 95 the bolt 91 iswithdrawn from the recess 90 of the trigger 86 thus unlocking thetrigger and allowing the operator to pull the When the trigger is pulledthe sear 81 is moved downward against the tension of its spring 83 andthe shoulder 80 of the sear now disengages the lug 73 thereby releasingthe tiring pin 36 which is now pushed forward by the action of itsspring 37 to lire the cartridge 23 in the barrel 22. The trigger 86 isreleased immediately after the firing and the operator now takes hold ofthe'handle of the actuating lever and swings the same downward toactuate the rack 62 as previously explained with a view to turn thebreech block 35 in the carrier 34 and thereby unlocking the breech blockrelative to the frame 20. On a further downward swinging movement givento the actuating vlever 50 the breech block carrier 34 is retracted andwith it the breech block 35. During this rearward movement of the breechblock carrier 34 and the breech block 35 the empty shell is pulled outof the barrel 22 by the extractor 120 and the shell is thrown sidewisethrough the opening above the magazine 24 by the action of the ejector125. The uppermost cartridge 23 in the magazine 24 now moves in positionin front of the retracted breech block 35 to be pushed forward into thebarrel 22 on the next forward movement given to the breech block carrier34 and the breech block 35. It is understood that the'breech blockcarrier 34 and the breech block 35 are moved forward into closedposition on swinging the actuating lever 50 into closed position, thatis, swinging the handle 52 upward and rearward, and when the breechblock carrier reaches the end of its forward movement then a furtherclosing movement given to the lever 50 turns the breech block 35 toengage the lugs 40, 41 and 45 with the corresponding recesses 42, 43 and46 to lock the breech block in place. The trigger S6 is next pulled toagain fire the rifle. When it is desired to lock the riiie againstfiring it is only necessary for the operator to push the safety slide 95forward on its guideway 96 to reengage the bolt 91 with the recess 90 inthe trigger 86 to lock the latter against movement. It will be noticedthat should the operator fail to swing the handle 52 into complete finalclosed position, as shown in Fig. 1, then the breech block 35 is notturned in the breech block carrier 34 and hence the shoulder S8 remainsin the path of the lug 73 and firing pin 36, and should the trigger nowbe pulled and the firing pin released vby the sear 81 then the firingpin can only move a short distance forward, that is, until the lug 7 3strikes the shoulder '88. IVhen the firing pin is in this position itsfront end is a distance from the cartridge 23 and hence the latter isnot fired unless the breech block is turned in the breech block carrierand locked in place, as above explained. From the Yforegoing it will beseen that accidental firing of the gun is not liable to take placeunless the breech block is in closed locked position. VJhen theactuating lever 50 is n closed position then the rifle has no undulyprojecting parts and hence it can be readily carried in a saddlescabbard.

It is understood that the cam lugs 40, 41 of the breech block 35 incoacting with the beveled walls of the recesses 42 and 43 draw thebreech block 35 forward a short distance (say g@ inch) when moving intolock ing position, and when the breech'block is turned back out oflocking position it is moved bodily rearward by the action of the camlugs and the inclined walls of the re cesses to cause the forcibleremoval of any shell that is liable to stick in the barrel by the actionof the extractor 125.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In a rifle, an operating lever mounted to swingforward and kbackward and slide up and down, a breech block carriermounted to slide forward and backward and pivotally connected with thesaid operating lever, a breech block mounted to turn in the said carrierand moving bodily with the same, and turning mechanism actuated from thesaid operating lever and connected with the said breech block to turnthe latter into locking position after the carrier reaches a. forwardposition or to turn the breech block into an unlocked position prior toretracting` the 'breech block carrier by the operating lever.

2. In a rifle, a frame, an operating lever mounted to swing forward andbackward and to slide up and down on the said frame, a breech blockcarrier mounted to slide forward and backward on the said frame andpivotally connected with the said operating lever, a breech blockmounted to turn in the said carrier and to move bodily therewith,coacting locking means on the said breech block and frame to lock thebreech block and its carrier against sliding on turning the breech blockwhen the carrier reaches a forward position, and turning means forturning the breech block into locking or unlocking position andcontrolled by the said operating lever.

3. In a riiie, a frame, a barrel attached to the frame, a breech blockcarrier mounted to slide forward and backward on the said frame, abreech block mounted to turn in the said carrier and moving bodilytherewith, coacting locking means between the said breech block andframe tolock the breech block in place when the carrier is in forwardposition, an operating lever pivotally connected with the said breechblock carrier to move the latter forward or backward, ai crank armfulcrumed on the said frame and on which the said operating lever ismounted to swing and to slide, and turning means controlled by the saidcrank arm and connected with the saidbreech block to turn the latterwhen the said carrier is in forward position.

4. In a rifle, a frame, a barrel attached to the frame, a breech blockcarrier mounted to slide forward and backward on the said frame, abreech block mounted to turn in the said carrier and moving bodilytherewith, coacting locking means between the said breech block andframe to lock the breech block in place when the carrier is'in forwardposition, an operating lever pivotally connected with the said breechblock carrier to move the latter forward or backward, a crank armfulcrumed on the said frame and on which the said operating lever ismounted to swing and to slide, a rack mounted to slide up and down` onthe said frame and provided with two sets of teeth, rack teeth on thesaid breech block and engaging one set of teeth on the rack at the timethe breech block carrier is in -forward position, and rack teeth on thesaid crank arm and engaging the other set of teeth on the rack.

5. In a rifie, a frame provided with locking means, a barrel attached tothe frame, a breech block carrier mounted to slide forward and backwardon the said frame, a breech block adapted to close the rear end of thebarrel and mounted to turn in the said I breech block carrier and tomove bodily with the same, the breech block having locking lugs adaptedto engage or disengage the said locking recesses on turning the breechblock, a lever pivotally connected with the said breech block carrierand provided with a slot, a crank arm fulcrumed on the frame and havinga wrist pin engaging the said lever slot, a segmental gear wheel turningwith the said crank arm, a rack mounted to slide up and down in the saidframe and having rack teeth at its upper and lower ends, the lower rackteeth being in mesh with the said segmental gear wheel, and gear teethon one side of the. breech block and in mesh with the upper rack teethon the said rack.

6. In a rifle, a frame provided with spaced front and rear lockingrecesses, a barrel attached to the `frame and having its axis inalinement with the axes of the said recesses, a breech block carriermounted to slide on the said frame, a breech block mounted to bodilymove with and to turn in the said carrier, the breech block beingprovided with front and rear cam lugs adapted to engage the saidrecesses on turning the breech block at the time the carrier is .inforward position, a lever under the control of the operator andpivotally connected with the said breech block carrier, the lever havingan arcuate Slot, a crank arm fulcrumed on the said frame and having itswrist pin engaging the said slot, a rack vertically movable on the saidframe, a segmental gear wheel turning with the said crank arm and inmesh with the said rack, and teeth on the breech block and in mesh withthe said rack.

7. In a rifle, a frame provided with spaced front and rear lockingrecesses, a barrel attached to the frame and having its aXis inalinement with the axes of the said recesses, a breech block carriermounted to slide on the said frame, a breech block mounted to bodilymove with and to turn in the said carrier, the breech block beingprovided with front and rear cam lugs adapted to engage the saidrecesses on turning the breech block at the time the carrier is inforward position, a lever under the control oi' the operator andpivotally connected with the said breech block carrier, the lever havingan arcuate slot, a crank arm fulcrumed on the said frame and having itswrist pin engaging the said slot, a rack vertically movable in the saidframe, a segmental gear wheel turning with the said crank arm and inmesh with the said rack and teeth on the breech block and in mesh withthe said rack7 a spring-pressed firing pin slidable in the said breechblock and provided with a lug, the breech block having a side openingfor the passage of the said lug, a guideway on the breech block carrierengaged by the said iiring pin lug to hold the firing pin againstturning on turning the breech block, a scar engaging the said firing pinlug, and a trig ger controlling the said sear.

GEORGE LIVINGSTON HENDERSON.

